Mayor of London Boris Johnson is looking at architects proposals for the elevated bike path network which is expected to be located between the city’s mainline stations.  Artists have been submitting their visions of SkyCycle, and the images were released to the public this week along with some of the project’s first details.

Some of the images are of high-tech, raised glass open-topped tunnels, and have been compared to the High Line in New York.   The idea of a raised cycle path is to make bicycle commuting easier and safer for city residents; feasibility studies conducted by architect Sam Martin showed that simply adding bicycle lanes in the already crowded city roads was next to impossible.

“'TfL estimate the number of journeys made by bike will treble to around 1.5 million by 2020. Where are they meant to go? SkyCycle is the next logical step, because you can’t realistically build more cycle lanes on ground level,” the director of Exterior Architecture said.

“You have to start knocking down buildings and there will always be the problem of traffic. It will be less safe than it is now and you can’t persuade people to get on bikes as it is even if you keep raising taxes on cars.'

He further stated: 'Boris loves the idea and Network Rail are really positive about it. I sincerely believe it could be the next significant piece of London infrastructure and would transform the capital.”

The proposal will be focusing on paying commuters who would be using their Oyster card for payment.

The post London’s SkyCycle Bike Network a Possibility for 2015 appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

However, a new study shows that while new buildings may be more ecologically sound when it comes to things like energy efficiency, they still present a much larger carbon footprint than simply retrofitting old buildings with “green” technology.

The report, entitled The Greenest Building:  Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse  concludes that the re-use of old buildings is much “greener” than their demolition to make place for new “green” construction.

The study further shows that new buildings, no matter how “green”, will take up to 80 years to overcome their negative impact on climate change and energy savings.   The report however does take care to mention that while re-using and retrofitting old buildings, companies must be aware that this can also cause some negative impacts, although not as many as with a new construction.  The report focused on six building types in four different climatic zones in the United States.

The report shows city planners that rather than go on a “green” building spree, there are many more benefits to retrofitting old buildings.  Preservationists are very pleased to learn of the results of the study, and are hoping policy-makers, architects and engineers will also jump on the retrofit and re-use bandwagon.

The post Is Retrofitting Better For the Environment? appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Now that Apple will be using their own in-house map app for their iPhone operating systems, Google could be facing some stiff competition.  However, Google is not a company that will just rest on its laurels and let competitors sneak by; it is always looking for ways to make a better map.

Former NASA engineer and present-day Google employee working on the Mars mapping project Michael Weiss-Malik spoke to a reporter from The Atlantic.com and gave a general outline of the steps involved in digital map-making.

“So you want to make a map, there are a couple of steps. You acquire data through partners. You do a bunch of engineering on that data to get it into the right format and conflate it with other sources of data, and then you do a bunch of operations, which is what this tool is about, to hand massage the data. And out the other end pops something that is higher quality than the sum of its parts."

Some maps that are used as base layers on Google do contain some minor inaccuracies; however, the company takes great pains to remedy this.  Unlike competing internet map providers, Google has extensive “Ground Truthing” teams which take in and record more data every two weeks than the company had in all of 2006.  These teams may be familiar to the public as the Google Street View cars and vehicles.

While most people now use Google maps for directions, with all the countless innovations in mapping that are being developed, it is practically guaranteed that people will find more and more uses for Google maps and the company will continue to be the leader in the field for years to come.

The post Google and High-Tech Map Design appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The sale of the landmark structure was completed earlier this week for £400 million, and the redevelopment will include hotels, a shopping centre, 3,400 residences, offices and art space.   The first phase of construction will probably take four years, and the iconic white towers of the power station will be removed and rebuilt with new material at a later time.

The power station, which is nestled on the south bank of the river Thames, was built in the 1930’s and an addition was built in the 1950’s.  Featured in the Hitchcock film “Sabotage” and on the cover of “Animals”, a Pink Floyd album, the building became well-known the world over.

Since 1983, the power station stopped generating electricity and became vacant.  Although many proposals were offered for the use of the space, none were taken seriously.  Most recently, the Chelsea Football Club proposed to turn the edifice into a stadium, but was unsuccessful.

Other proposals included the construction of a 300 meter (984 ft) tower and eco-dome; one architect suggested turning the area into a park by simply removing the walls of the power station.

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Along with photographs of the home are priceless artistic treasures from the Islamic world and contemporary projects done by artists who have residencies at Shangri La.  The residence has served as the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art since her death in 1993 and has been open to the public since 2002.

The exhibition will also travel to other museums in Palm Beach and Honolulu after New York.  Art critics and art historians are saying that the show is the best place in the city to see Islamic art after the Brooklyn and Metropolitan museums, which have permanent Islamic art galleries.

Friends and researchers claim that Duke’s passion for Islamic art was discovered while she was on her honeymoon with husband James Cromwell in 1935.  Visits to the Taj Mahal, Morocco, Egypt and Indonesia influenced her greatly and served as the inspiration for their Honolulu home built far from the prying eyes of the Palm Beach-Newport gossip circuit of the times.

“Doris Duke’s Shangri-La:  Architecture, Landscape and Islamic Art” will be on display at the Museum of Art and Design until February 17, 2013.

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Allen’s real estate wing wishes to sell the South Union Lake neighborhood properties for the capital required to develop other nearby lands.

Amazon has so far refused to speak to the media about the sale and it is unknown if they will be bidding to buy the 11 buildings on 1.8 million square feet of land in which they are presently headquartered.  The retailer only recently moved into the property but has already mentioned that plans are in the works to build more offices to accommodate their ever-increasing staff.

Paul Allen is one of the main players in Central Seattle’s revitalization, bringing industry, retail and fashionable restaurants to the city’s South Union Lake area, which was, until a few years ago, a run-down, depressed semi-industrialized area.   Co-founding Microsoft with classmate Bill Gates, the business tycoon has made the former “wasteland” a thriving tech Mecca with shrewd investment and has brought jobs and an economic boom to many at a time when most of the world is suffering a global recession.

Vulcan mentioned that the firm in charge of the listing will be CBRE.

The post Paul Allen’s Vulcan Real Estate to Sell Amazon Headquarters appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Originally a delicate, Federal-style mansion built in the early 1800’s after the first home burnt down, in 1861 the then-owners tacked on a strange heavy marble staircase and marble porch to the front entrance along with rounded Victorian style windows on the first floor.  Further “improvements” included an additional third floor with windows that didn’t match those on lower floors.

Although the home features what could be declared as strange design elements thrown in from different time periods (such as the lacklustre 1950’s era study and fireplaces in one wing),  people who have visited the property find such eccentricities to be refreshing in a world that prizes “stylistic integrity”.   And while the property may have its critics, all agree that the 600 acres of land attached to the mansion, which are under no sub development plans, are the key feature to Grasmere’s charm.    With stunning views of the countryside and gorgeously matured trees, visitors simply fall under the mansion’s spell.

Grasmere was declared a historical monument in the 1980’s, and the current owners have no plans to subdivide the grounds but plans for a resort are in the works.  More information will be presented soon at www.grasmerefarm.com .

The post Hudson Valley’s Grasmere Estate an Eclectic Mish-mash Yet Still Beautiful appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

However, architects, real estate agents and property investors all agree:  a Frank Gehry residence is worth the price, with wealthy New Yorkers being happy to spend $60,000 a month to rent one of his Manhattan penthouses.

Further making the building worth the price to Hong Kong residents with money to spare is the construction’s surrounding green space; as almost all of the city is fully developed with high-rises a-go-go, the lush expanses of vegetation are extremely rare and highly desirable, driving up the price.

The luxury residence 12-floor tower is built on a hillside and boasts of panoramic views of the city.  The edifice was designed to reflect the landscape of the territory, and appears to almost be gently swaying with the breeze.

The post New Frank Gehry Condo Sells for a Big $61 Million in Hong Kong appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Panayiotou bought the property in 2006, after the 40,000 square foot residence had fallen into disrepair and was deemed to only be fit for demolition.   After bringing the house and gardens back to their former exquisiteness and adding liberal lashings of 21^st century conveniences and technology, the 17-bedroom home is now the most expensive property for sale in all of Britain.

The home features a 10-car garage, a solid oak staircase crafted in Italy, a huge dining room, bedrooms the size of New York apartments, bathrooms consisting of 12 types of marble, a panic room, a garden room under a massive skylight,  a home movie theatre, indoor pools and outdoor pools.  Large HD televisions also feature throughout and the interior design has been completely updated to make the mansion a high-tech, highly desirable, secure dwelling suitable for royalty or the ultra-wealthy.

Photo source:  The Ability Group

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Klein easily gets back into the swim of things with her latest plunge into the publishing world; available in October, Pools:  Reflections is sure to become a favourite with those who enjoy the architecture of swimming sanctuaries.

Explaining her seeming obsession, Klein says:  “Pools are a place where I can really relax.  I love to swim, and I love spending time around the pool. Nowadays, pools have become so beautiful, with different colors and shapes. They’re architecture within the ground.”

The book focuses on modern-day pool trends, with the author claiming “this book is really about the 1970s to today.”  Consisting of 180 photographs carefully selected from 600 that were submitted by various artists including Robert Polidori, Nikolas Koenig, and Mario Sorrenti, the author also included several of her own lush, illustrative shots.

Featured are haunting images of abandoned pools, splashy images of pools at personal residences, and iconic images of pools at famous hotels.  According to Klein, each pool has a unique character which she enjoys studying and analyzing.

““I became a bit obsessed with pools more than 20 years ago,” said Klein, “and I still am.”

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Grey, the chairman of Paramount pictures, will also need to fork over another $455,352 a year in maintenance fees at the building where John F. Kennedy kept a penthouse.  In all of New York, claims property appraiser Miller Samuel, the Carlyle charges the most per square foot per month.

In the end, the cost of monthly maintenance is equal to a new BMW; however Grey hasn’t made a peep complaining.  For him, the high fees mean a high degree of pampering, and the luxuries of living at the Carlyle include twice-daily housekeeping, a daily newspaper, Frette bathrobes, and extravagant 600-count Yves Delorme bed linens.  Deep discounts on laundry, room-service meals and beverages, and personal training are other perks that the maintenance fees include.  Furthermore, Grey may not mind paying the fees because of the prestige and convenience of living at 35 East 76^th St.

Brown Harris Stevens broker Kathy Sloane who has sold Carlyle residences in the past explained why many ultra-wealthy clients don’t mind the fees:  “It is a way of life that people really appreciate whose lives are quite busy and full.  They want everything to be organized for them, and they don’t ever want to question the standard.”

Other services included in the monthly fees are heavy cleaning, window washing, cable television, voice mail, and bath amenities.  Services such as personal flower arranging and dog-walking are extra.

The post New York’s Wealthy Willing to Pay for Hotel Living appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Solange Knowles, star DJ, electrifying singer and sibling of super-celebrity Beyonce, moved to Brooklyn last year, and for those who admire Knowles’ ultra-cool, unique and natural style, they’ll be happy to find that her home is just as cool and unique as she is.

The townhouse home Knowles purchased is featured in the September issue of Elle, the iconic fashion magazine.  What one notices immediately about the residence is her signature bold, wild-colored, warm style.  Although different patterns and shapes abound, everything is nicely tied together, creating a serene, rather than chaotic vibe.

Knowles keeps the vibe calm and collected by going with neutral colored walls and furniture and using wildly-hued and patterned accessories to construct an inviting, cozy atmosphere.  Accessories used in the home are Moroccan rugs, pillows with heavy embroidery, and plants with striking, eye-catching blooms.  Her advice for mixing patterns, which she does so expertly, is to make sure that they are in the same fabric in order to maintain cohesion.

Featured throughout the living space is artwork by local and international artists, and adding style to her otherwise plain-jane wooden dining table  is a collection of china and tableware from Anthropologie and mc&co.

One thing is clearly evident when one looks at photos of Solange Knowles’ stunningly decorated home; she does her own thing when it comes to making a space hers.  The results of her efforts are like her; strong, chic, cool, unique and welcoming.

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Because the task can be daunting and expensive, twenty-seven year-old Schuneman shows how people with no interior design expertise and next-to-no-budget can make a plain apartment open, warm, inviting and personalized.

The First Apartment Book contains photos of ten real apartments that have received the Schuneman treatment and reflect trendy design, comfort, and organization.  Practical suggestions by the designer include:

• Making studio apartments multifunctional
• Sectioning lofts into various areas
• Individualizing modular apartments
• Sharing spaces with people who have different decorating styles
• Storing and hiding unaesthetic features
• Displaying collectables
• Managing difficult landlords

Solutions offered by the designer also include making an apartment or small living space appear much larger, and Schuneman also encourages one’s individual taste to shine through.  The designer claims this can be done by taking note of one’s location, surroundings, and hobbies and incorporating them into the decoration.

With thirty DIY projects that can be done on a shoestring and don’t require an engineering degree, even a student on a microscopic budget will be able to turn a mediocre, cramped apartment into a comfortable and visually appealing living space.

The great photos and easy-to-follow instructions will be a perfect gift for a friend or loved one who will be moving into their own place for the first time and need a little help to make the dwelling feel like a stylish, organized home.

The post The First Apartment Book Offers Interior Design Tips appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Intuit CEO William Campbell’s ex-wife Roberta Campbell will not be getting her $4.7 million down payment back after she decided not to go through with the purchase of an $18.5 million residence because amenities were missing from the property at the time the real estate sale was to close.

Roberta Campbell griped to a judge that the living quarters she had selected at the Mark hotel were not habitable.  A 2009 inspection proved that the floors were unfinished, heat and hot water were unavailable, microwaves and cook top grills were missing and there were no glass enclosures for the showers.   Furthermore, there was no gas available.  Campbell asked that her down payment be returned.

However, District Judge William H. Pauley III did not rule in her favour this week, stating that all of the issues that were brought up in the inspection could have been resolved in a few short days by the builder, meaning the luxury residence was in fact, habitable.  Furthermore, the judge pointed out that the hot water, heat and gas systems were installed and functional at the time of the inspection but were simply not turned on because the residence was vacant.

Pauley further made not of the fact that the contract Campbell had singed was explicit in stating that the luxury services could possibly not be available at the sale’s closing.

"Based on the evidence presented at trial and the one-sided language of the parties' agreement, [the Mark Hotel] is entitled to the down payment," the judge said.

The Mark Hotel is also permitted to collect accrued interest on the down payment and Campbell will be required to pay the Mark Hotel’s legal fees.

The post Legal Squabble over Luxury Residence in NYC to Cost Roberta Campbell $4.7 million Down Payment appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Bill Koch, the billionaire owner of 6,400 acre Bear Ranch in Colorado, is recreating an entire Wild West town on his expansive ranching property, and while the project will feature over 50 buildings the cowboy-era township will not be open to the public.  The area, which will boast of a saloon, a jail, a church and a train station, will practically be a ghost town with no inhabitants, its sole purpose being a sort of private park for the billionaire owner.

Gunnison County Planning Commission chairman Ramon Reed, in a conversation with The Post, said:  “"It's the kind of stuff I guess you would expect a billionaire to construct.  It's like something out of a 'Gunsmoke' movie set."

Koch, president of the Oxbow Group, previously purchased Wild West tourist attractions in other parts of the U.S. and transplanted the buildings on his private property.  The purchase of the iconic Buckskin Joe’s cost him $3.1 million.  The billionaire is a well-known collector of Wild West Americana and memorabilia.  “I love the Old West. I plan on enjoying it and discreetly sharing it. I think I'll display it in a few small museums,” he said about his $2.3 million purchase of a photograph of Billy the Kid.

While Koch will not be living in his Wild West town, he has received approval to build a 22,000 square foot residence on the hill above the township; apparently the Wild West buildings will exist to provide the wealthy businessman with a great and interesting view.

The post “Billionaire Bill” Building Private Wild West Town appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

However, now that the legal battle for her estate appears to be settled, Sotheby’s can now make Astor’s final wishes come true; before she changed her will due to her son’s coercing while she was suffering from Alzheimer’s, she wish to leave many of her millions to charities she loved such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York Public Library, and the Animal Medical Center.

Sotheby’s will be auctioning 901 lots of the late Mrs. Astor’s possessions on September 24 and 25 with the monies raised going to the charities she championed.  The items to be auctioned will include furnishings, jewelry, decorative art and many examples of fine art.

As Mrs. Astor was well-known for having impeccable taste, the auction will certainly be drawing attention from serious art collectors and experts.  Among the treasures to be sold will be Louis XV chairs, drawings by old masters, bejewelled keepsakes of carved ivory, and a priceless collection of fine bone china including her favourite teapots.

The post Sotheby’s to Auction Brooke Astor’s Treasures September 24 appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

According to New York City records, the largest real estate deal of the past seven days was worth $19.5 million, and was for a nine-room condominium on New York’s legendary Fifth Avenue’s Museum Mile.

The condominium encompasses the entirety of the building’s ninth floor at 988 Fifth Avenue, and has breathtaking views of both Central Park and of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Offering 3,500 square feet of living space, the residence is in a building that was constructed in 1925 in the Italian Renaissance Palazzo style.  Designed by James E.R. Carpenter, the building is one of the very few pre-WWII constructions on Fifth Avenue, and was converted into condominiums in 1981.

The residence is completely private, like all other residences in the building with only one condominium per floor.  Featured are four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a private elevator and three fireplaces.

Representing the seller Selig Zises of software company MangoSoft was Marcy Grau of Stribling and Associates, and the buyer, who requested anonymity, was represented by David Kornmeier of Brown Harris Stevens.

In another big Manhattan deal this week, a roomy TriBeCa loft at 140 Franklin Street was sold for $14.3 million after a heated two-week bidding war in which the loft sold for $1 million more than its asking price.  The lucky winner is Millard S. Drexler, chief executive of the J. Crew Group.  Drexler is also the owner of Andy Warhol’s Montauk estate, which he purchased in 2007 for $30 million.

The post Biggest NYC Real Estate Sale of the Week: $19.5 Million appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Zhuzhou, in China’s Hunan province, is experiencing a population boom like many other cities in the country due to its manufacturing and textile industries.  This is causing some of the city’s architects to experiment with novel ideas to make the most of limited land resources.  In order to ease pressure on the surrounding countryside, rather than build new residences on farm or park land, these forward-thinking architects have found what may appear to be a solution for those who wish to live close to work and avoid long commutes.  Their method of avoiding urban sprawl is to build complete houses on the rooftops of large buildings such as shopping malls.

One such project has already been completed; four luxury homes have been built on the roof of an eight-story shopping mall in a busy Zhuzhou neighbourhood.  Those in favor of building on rooftops claim it is a wise and ideal use of wasted, bare space and saves the untouched rural landscapes on the outskirts of the city from rapid, poorly planned and ugly residential development.

For now, as the project has only been recently completed, the four luxury villas that are perched on top of the shopping center look somewhat bleak; however the builders claim that the area will be landscaped and will feature gardens.

Perhaps this ideal use of “wasted” space will spark the imagination of other architects to come up with even more practical and esthetic construction ideas to help ease the pressure of providing homes for the city’s growing population.

The post China’s Shopping Mall Luxury Villas appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The landmarked townhouse at 250 West 10^th Street in New York’s West Village, formerly occupied by celebrity songstress Courtney Love, is on the selling block for $11.4 million.

Owner Donna Lyon, it is rumoured, may be selling the 25’ wide, four-storey residence due to stress caused by the landlording experience; the listing photos are the same ones used in the 2009 listing the last time the property was up for sale.  In the real estate ad for the home, no mention is made of Love having resided there.  In June of 2011, firefighters had to put out a small fire on the fourth floor of the property after the curtains somehow became ablaze; Love suffered minor burns to her hands in the incident.  Other than the burnt curtains, no other damage resulted from the fire.  Love also attempted to re-do the wallpaper without permission;  Lyon attempted to evict Love, but a court said Love could remain as she was up-to-date with rent.

Before Love moved in, designer and architect Stephen Gambrel took two years to painstakingly restore the home to its former glory.  Built in 1827 for a well-to-do Flemish merchant, the home features old-fashioned yet luxurious flourishes such as six fireplaces, a horsewalk, an original limestone cooking fireplace and a garden.  The home also features three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, and laundry room.  Current pictures of the home are not yet available on the realtor’s listing.

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Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook finally left the rental market and decided to invest in some real estate, finally purchasing a home.  The successful social media entrepreneur spent $7 million on a walled estate in Palo Alto, California which has a 5,000 square foot mansion, a manicured lawn for afternoon rounds of croquet, formal gardens and a pool.

Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, instead of following Zuckerberg’s lead of purchasing a more modest home, went all out and splurged on a spectacular dwelling; for $10 million Dorsey acquired a two bedroom work of art perched on stilts on a cliff-side in the outskirts of San Francisco.  The home features a retractable roof and unimpeded, panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the ocean.

Larry Page of Google, who already has a massive compound in Palo Alto valued at $15.2 million, is looking to purchase adjacent properties in order to expand his living quarters.  Neighbours are already reputed to be feeling the pressure to sell.

Mark Cuban, veteran and successful entrepreneur of the original dot.com boom and owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, is the owner of a massive 24,000 square foot home in Dallas.  The garage alone is larger than most houses in the US.

The post The Mega-Mansions of the Richest Tech Entrepreneurs appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Nicky Hilton's house

Fashion designer and heiress Nicky Hilton has listed her West Hollywood home for $2.95 million or $15,000 per month for rent.  The 1307 Sierra Alta Way, Los Angeles home boasts 4.072 square feet of space, 3 bedroom, 4.5 bathrooms and an immense entertaining area outdoors which includes a waterfall and swimming pool.

Tiger woods house

Tiger Woods of golfing fame has sold his Corona del Mar, California condo for $2.214 million.  While not a full-time residence, the seafront property was used as a family vacation home.  Large balcony and patio areas allow for sweeping views of the ocean and Catalina Island, and the 2616 Ocean Blvd property also features a chef’s kitchen, 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.

Beyonce Jay Z's house

Beyonce and Jay Z are renting a home in the Hamptons for the month of August at the rate of $400,000 per month.  The property, known as “The Sandcastle” is 31,000 square feet, includes a bowling alley, squash courts, a rock wall and a skateboarding half-pipe along with many other amenities.   The home is one of the largest and most luxuriously appointed in the Bridgehampton market.

Kimora Lee Simmon's house

Kimora Lee Simmons sold her Beverly Hills residence in July for $4.45 million.  Simmons bought the property at 9551 Lime Orchard Road, Beverly Hills in 2007, and attempted to sell the property in 2010 at $5.695 million, but no buyers came forward.  The ex-Phat Farm honcho re-listed this year in May at the lower price; and the 6,000 square foot, 6 bedroom 8 bathroom home sold after slightly less than two months on the market.

Natasha's house

Natasha Bedingfield, the British pop singer will be renting out her Los Feliz, California luxury home for $18,000 per month.  The 4,792 square foot home was acquired in 2009 for $2.3 million, and along with its 5 bedrooms, pool, and movies theatre, the property can boast of a great view of the Los Angeles city skyline.

The post The Real Estate Moves of the Stars appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Rodriguez ,or “A-Rod, is considered to be the best all-round player of all time in his sport, which has made him a very wealthy man.  He also has good business sense; after buying the one-acre lot at 4358 North Bay Road in the US’s premier resort city in 2010 for $7.4 million, he spent another $24,000,000 building the 19,861 square foot, 9 bedroom, 11 full and 2 half-bathroom home which also features a considerable 275 feet of water frontage.  Rodriguez stands to make a multi-million profit from the sale of his dream home.

The mansion will certainly attract much interest from potential buyers; along with being located in one of the most desirable living areas of the United States, the abode boasts of seamless outdoor/indoor living spaces to take advantage of the warm climate, gourmet indoor and outdoor kitchens, a 2,200 square foot master suite, a home theatre, a sports room equipped with a batting cage, and an infinity edge swimming pool.

The gated and fully enclosed, walled-in property also comes with a guest house, a roof-top deck, a separate gym facility which includes a steam room, and two docks which make the residence perfect for those who wish to take full advantage of Miami Beach’s famous yachting conditions.

The post New York Yankees’ A-Rod to sell Miami Beach Dream Home for $38,000,000 appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Branca-Lisboa, the new home products and accessories company from Portugal which features traditional Portuguese craftsmanship with modern, experimental esthetics , have unveiled their latest creation:  the W.01 Shell Lounge Chair.

Specializing in handmade objects crafted with digital production tools, Branca-Lisboa’s W.01 uses nature as a reference point for structure and visual quality.  Curved like a shell one might find on an undeveloped, wild beach, the chair seems to be supported naturally with a backbone and vertebrae, all curving to provide ergonomic comfort while being very easy on the eye.

The Shell Chair is exactly designed to be a large shell filled with pillows; the design is engineered so that the client may add or remove pillows as needed in order to achieve an individual maximum comfort level.  Branca-Lisboa include four all-natural cotton long pillows that the client may arrange as desired.

Designed by Marco Sousa Santos and constructed with natural-hued birch plywood, the hand-assembled Shell Lounge chair is certain to become a winning yet comfortable showpiece in any home.

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Sky SOHO, Shanghai

This curved and bending, multi-fingered and almost river-live building reminiscent of fjords in far-off lands is to be used as office and retail space close to the Hongqiao Transportation Hub and Airport and is also in close proximity to Shanghai’s busy city center.  Three thematic courtyards will reflect the different types of activities that will be present.

Wangjing SOHO, Beijing

Another office and destination retail space, the Wangjing SOHO is located in the center of the city and is close to the airport.  Hadid’s original concept behind the building’s design is that of two traditional Chinese fans dancing.  The structure is envisioned to become a main feature in the city’s skyline.

New Century City Art Center, Chengdu

Slated to become a cultural destination for music, art and entertainment lovers, the New Century City Art Center in Sichuan province seems to undulate and flow with the beauty, power, and flexibility of an ocean wave.  The NCCAC will consist of three auditoria, an art museum, an exhibition centre, a learning centre, bars, shops and restaurants.

Hadid’s group also have many other designs in the works which are certain to add even more elegance and innovation to the famed Chinese city skylines.

The post The Potential Future of the Chinese Skyline appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

What may be adding to the pressure to sell the high-profile property in the renowned Azure building soon are Sanders’ current legal woes; he is presently in the middle of somewhat bitter divorce proceedings.  The condo was listed almost immediately after his soon-to-be ex-wife Pilar claimed she had been attacked by Sanders’ aunt in her own home.

The dwelling has a listed price of $4.8 million, which is far below its estimated value of $6.5 million.  Another similar unit in the Azure building is also on the market for the higher asking price.  Sanders is so anxious to sell the property, according to reports, that he is engaging in last-minute renovations in order to lure potential buyers and get a quick sale settled.

Some are saying that the sale of the luxury condo is a necessity as Sanders has been ordered by the court to pay child support to the tune of $10,000 a month.  Along with child support, Sanders must also pay Pilar’s legal fees, which at this point are close to costing $300,000.  Sanders is supposedly thinking a quick sale may resolve a host of financial issues.

The post Deion Sanders Lists Dallas Condo for Low-Ball Price appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

The deal closed on July 10 for the 3,785 square foot, three bedroom, 3.5 bathroom apartment.  The condo also boasts a 30 foot wide entrance gallery and extensive views of New York Harbour.  The identity of the purchaser is not yet known.

Kidman, who owned the condo for 9 years, purchased the apartment in 2003 but soon afterwards became somewhat angered after the construction of another building partially blocked her sweeping views of the water.  While she and husband Keith Urban purchased another apartment in 2011 at 200 Eleventh Avenue for $11 million, the apartment at 176 Perry Street was put on the rental market at $45,000 USD per month.

176 Perry Street is one of two Meier-designed residential towers which are located on the north and south corners of Perry and West Street.  The almost iconic buildings have produced much interest from celebrities, with Hugh Jackman investing in a property and Jim Carrey considering a purchase.

When not in New York, Kidman and Urban spend time at their Sydney, Australia home.  By purchasing the neighboring apartment, they have doubled the size of their living quarters and enjoy views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The post Nicole Kidman Sells New York West Village Apartment for $16 Million appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.

Author J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame is bringing some of her magic and imagination to real life by building two enormous 40-foot tree-houses in the garden of her palatial, 17^th century Edinburgh home in the UK.

The City of Edinburgh council received the plans for the twin tree-towers earlier in July.  Illustrations in the plans show that there will be a double swing set, a slide and an attached trampoline. The fantasy playground will have medieval details, such as turrets and a rope bridge connecting the two-story tree-buildings.

Some of the fun and imaginative features that Rowling is renowned for in fiction writing will also be present in the tree-houses; included are a secret tunnel, a fireman’s pole, trap doors equipped with rope ladders and basket-and-pulley systems to work as a sort of children’s transportation method.

The tree-houses, which will include balconies and laterns, were designed by Blue Forest, a company that specializes in building tree-houses for the luxury-minded.  In a nod to environmentalism, the wood used to build the structures will be coming from sustainable sources.

The buildings, although tall, will not be considered to be an eyesore or an inconvenience to neighbours as the Rowling property will surround the tree-houses with 50 foot cypresses for privacy. While it is not usually necessary to obtain permission from the Edinburgh Planning committee to build structures in one’s own garden, any structures over 13 feet in height must be approved before construction can begin.

Construction, unless the plans find six objectors, should begin soon and the entire project is expected to cost over $200,000 USD.

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The post Harry Potter’s JK Rowling Building $200,000 Treehouses for her Children at Edinburgh Home appeared first on Haute Residence by Haute Living.